LOS ANGELES — Rams quarterback Jared Goff underwent a surgical procedure on his right thumb Monday, further putting in doubt his availability for the season finale Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, a person with knowledge of the situation said.
Goff suffered the injury during the Rams’ 20-9 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks at Seattle. Goff’s throwing hand hit the helmet of Seahawks defensive lineman Benson Mayowa during the third quarter, but popped the dislocated thumb back into its socket and finished the game.
If Goff cannot play, the Rams will turn to backup John Wolford. The Rams can clinch a playoff spot with a victory at SoFi Stadium.
On Monday, center Austin Blythe and running back Malcolm Brown said they did not know Goff’s status but were confident that Wolford would be ready if called upon.
“John’s prepared all year like a starter just in case something did happen to Jared. Unfortunately, he hurt his hand,” Blythe said of Goff. “Hopefully, he can go but we’ll see, and if John has to play we have the utmost confidence in John to go in and do a good job.”
Said Brown: “John knows literally everything about that playbook. He’s a guy that prepares himself very, very well. That’s something we all know in the building, it’s something we all respect about him. We know he knows everything.”
Wolford, 25, played at Wake Forest. In 2018, he played in one preseason game with the New York Jets, completing eight of 20 passes for 89 yards with an interception.
He played in the now defunct Alliance of American Football before the Rams signed him in 2019. In eight games for the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots, he passed for 14 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Blake Bortles was Goff’s backup in 2019, playing on a one-year, $1 million contract because he was still owed millions from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Rams did not re-sign Bortles or any other veteran quarterback because McVay said he and the coaching staff had confidence in Wolford’s ability to step in.
